Top Restaurants in Miami Right Now: The Hit List — Resy | Right This Way
Updated: May 1, 2026
There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
Consider it your essential resource for dining in Miami and South Florida: a monthly-updated guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Four Things In Miami Not to Miss This Month
The Mother of All Brunches: When Mother’s Day calls for going all out, Miami makes it easy. Start with a splurge at Mila, where the bottomless brunch comes with a wide-ranging MediterrAsian spread — think raw bar stations, mezze, sushi, and robata hot off the grill — all served in a high-energy rooftop setting. Or head toAmara at Paraiso, where the buffet leans coastal with Latin flavors and unfolds alongside sweeping bayfront views that do half the work for you. Whether you’re planning something lively or a little more laid-back, there’s no shortage of ways to make it feel like an occasion. Our updated guide to Miami’s best brunches has plenty more ideas.
Burger Bonanza: Call it National Burger Month, or call it just a good excuse: burger season is here, and Miami delivers — if you know where to look (and when to show up). Head to Over Under for the best possible version of a classic: their Florida grass-fed beef cheeseburger with griddled onions, shredded lettuce, and housemade Thousand Island dressing. Silverlake Bistro equally impresses with two patties, melted cheddar, porcini mayo, and optional-but-required thick bacon, while Pastis serves its own perfectly crafted double cheeseburger with pickles and red onion on a fluffy sesame seed bun. As for those limited-availability burgers: Squeeze your way into ViceVersa on Monday nights for the off-menu burger oozing with white cheddar cheese and caramelized onions on a housemade potato bun, or visit Daniel’s Miamiat lunchtime for the Heritage Burger with an eight-ounce dry-aged beef patty, havarti cheese, au poivre aioli, sweet Italian peppers, and chimichurri.
Road (or Boat) Trip to the Keys: Heading out for the long weekend? If you land in the Keys for Memorial Day, here are a few spots worth building the journey around: Sundowners in Key Largo pairs fresh seafood with sunset views right on the water, while Islamorada institution Ziggie and Mad Dog’s delivers classic steakhouse fare with notably polished service. In Key West, Hot Tin Roof at Ocean Key Resort is our favorite for their famous Sunday brunch and sunset-facing dinners with a menu of elevated Caribbean cuisine. For an extra-special occasion, book The Dining Room at Little Palm Island, the only way to get into one of the world’s top resorts without staying overnight. It’s only reachable by boat or seaplane (they’ll transport you to the island by private boat at your reservation time), and acclaimed chef Curtis Duffy of Chicago’s Ever had a hand in the new menu.
New Arrivals: Stephen Starr has broughtSlim’s, a steakhouse steeped in 1930s-era nostalgia, to his former Makoto space at Bal Harbour Shops. Expect dry-aged steaks all sourced from a single American ranch, a $100 wagyu cheesesteak, and throwback desserts like pink Champagne layer cake and tableside flambéed bananas Foster. Speaking of meat, The Wagyu Barhas a new home in Coral Gables, and this more-casual steakhouse comes from the expert butchers at Meat N’ Bone, who will guide you through the cuts, sourcing, and exactly what to order. Casa MX rounds things out with shareable Mexican botanas like aguachiles and albondigas, plus large plates from carne asadas to pescado and camarones. Check out all the new spots on Resy right here.
New to the Hit List (May 2026)
Emelina, Frankie & Wally’s, Over Under, Seia Miami.
1. Double Luck
- Upper Eastside
- Chinese
- $
2. Tropezón
- Miami Beach
- Spanish
- $$
3. Over Under
- Downtown Miami
- American
- $
4. Bar Bucce
- Little River
5. Mandolin Aegean Bistro Miami
- Design District
- Greek
- $$
6. Walrus Rodeo
- Buena Vista
- Wood Fired Fare
- $$
7. Palma
- Little Havana
- Spanish
- $
8. Emelina
- West Palm Beach
9. Kojin
- Coral Gables
- New American
- $
10. ViceVersa
- Downtown Miami
- Italian & Pizza
- $$
11. Seia Miami
- Brickell
- Italian
- $$
12. Smoke and Dough
- Kendall West
- BBQ
- $
13. Fuku
- Coral Gables
14. Phuc Yea
- Little River
- Vietnamese
- $$
15. AVA MediterrAegean Coconut Grove
- Miami
- Mediterranean
- $
16. Pauline
- Miami Beach
- New American
- $$$
17. Sottovoce
- Miami
- Italian
- $
18. Frankie & Wally’s
- Coral Gables
19. FreshCo Fish Doral
- Doral
- Seafood
- $
20. MIKA
- Coral Gables
- Mediterranean Italian
- $
20 venues
1.Double Luck Upper Eastside map
Photo courtesy of Double Luck
Dinner at this Chinese-American concept from the Tâm Tâm crew, has everything you need for a full night out: electric energy, explosive flavor, and a little bit of spectacle. The restaurant glows with red lanterns and Cantopop playing in the buzzy dining room. Portions are generous and meant to share, with plates like crab rangoon prepared as full-on crab legs. Tableside fire shows add to the fun — specifically, when the must-order orange chicken gets set aflame by your server.
Photo courtesy of Double Luck
2.Tropezón Miami Beach map
For guests who like to graze, look no further than this Spanish tapas spot along Miami’s most European-inspired enclave, Española Way. Tropezón mirrors the street’s Old World energy with an Andalusian-minded menu built for sharing. Plates like paellas, patatas bravas, and gambas feel both authentic and fresh — best paired with one of the house-infused gins lining the back bar in unmarked bottles. Moorish tiles, tiny tables, and a lively terraza keep the evening animated. It’s easy to settle into the rhythm here: order a little more, sip something herbal, and let the night stretch on.
3.Over Under Downtown Miami map
From the outside, Over Under might look like your typical neighborhood bar, but this one puts serious weight behind the kitchen. The Downtown haunt serves chef-driven comfort food built around Florida-sourced ingredients. That means smoked fish dip arrives with fried Saltines and pickled peppers, and a best-in-town cheeseburger is made with Florida-raised beef and housemade Thousand Island dressing. The cocktail bar serves frozen drinks, as any good Florida bar should, plus some funkier selections like an oyster shell-infused gin martini. Show up early for food worth planning around, or settle in later for a livelier bar scene.
4.Bar Bucce Little River map
The Macchialina duo, chef Michael Pirolo and beverage director Jacqueline Pirolo, brought their Italian instincts to gritty Little River and opened something that feels refreshing: part pizzeria, part wine bar, part Italian provisions shop, all counter-service and zero reservations. The naturally leavened pies have a blistered crust that can hold its own against any in the city, and shelves lining the walls are stocked with imported pantry staples and low-intervention wine bottles. A recent James Beard nod confirms what the neighborhood already knows. The vibe fits everything from date night to family dinner, and as the train rumbles past mid-meal, it all feels right. Pop-up programming like Pizza with Friends chef takeovers keep things lively and unpredictable. Follow their Instagram to catch what’s coming next.
Find more info here .
5.Mandolin Aegean Bistro Miami Design District map
Photo courtesy of Mandolin Aegean Bistro Miami
Consider this your fair warning to book your table early: More than 15 years after opening in the Buena Vista neighborhood, Mandolin Aegean Bistro remains one of the most coveted tables in Miami (particularly those outdoor ones). The breezy patio — shaded by trees, lined with bougainvillea, and buzzing with conversation — sets the pace for long, unhurried meals. Mediterranean plates come out steadily, and most are meant to share: those famous Turkish manti dumplings, grilled octopus mezze, and the fresh catch of the day are all delightful. Service is warm and unrushed, making Mandolin an ever-reliable option for an alfresco lunch, date-night dinner, or low-key celebration.
Photo courtesy of Mandolin Aegean Bistro Miami
6.Walrus Rodeo Buena Vista map
Just a few doors down from its Michelin-starred sibling, Walrus Rodeo shouldn’t be underestimated. Boia De’s rowdy little sister restaurant has carved its own spot in Miami’s dining scene. Known for wood-fired fare, Walrus Rodeo is bold and offbeat, with pops of color, retro details, and a lively open kitchen anchored by an imported pizza oven from Naples, Italy. The menu revolves around that roaring oven, turning out pies and vegetable-forward dishes with a smoky edge. Think charred cabbage with burnt garlic gastrique, mustard green lasagna, and standout pizzas that are both playful and expertly prepared.
7.Palma Little Havana map
Dinner at Palma is a bit of a gamble — in the best way possible. Chef Juan Camilo Liscano, who trained in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe and the U.S., brings those techniques home to Miami, using them to showcase local farms and ingredients. The tasting menu changes monthly, so we can’t tell you exactly what’s coming beyond the signature sweet plantain brioche and butter served mid-meal, but expect compact, ingredient-focused plates that range from inventive to knockout-delicious. Their unexpected pairings might not always sound like they should make sense — but that’s exactly what makes this experience so satisfying. The nine-course menu runs $115, though you can also cautiously dip into this culinary adventure on your own terms with new à la carte options.
8.Emelina West Palm Beach map
At Emelina in West Palm Beach’s up-and-coming Flamingo Park District, a 16-seat counter frames a focused, ambitious take on Cuban cuisine. Chef-owners Osmel González and Camila Salazar draw on deep fine-dining experience (including SingleThread, Disfrutar and Miami’s former EntreNos pop-up) to ask a thought-provoking question: what if Cuban cooking kept evolving? The answer arrives across a 10-course tasting menu that shifts with the season. Dishes like rabo encendido (braised oxtail) with Carolina Gold rice or a tempura-fried black drum fish as an interpretation on the classic minutiae display restraint and precision over nostalgia. Expect close interaction with the chefs as they present plates and explain the dishes across the counter, and genuine service from the hospitality heavyweights behind Hiyakawa and Ogawa.
Book now on Tock.
9.Kojin Coral Gables map
What started as a six-seat pop-up hidden in the back of a ramen shop has settled into its current 30-seat home on Ponce de Leon. Here, husband-and-wife team Pedro and Katherine Mederos have built one of Miami’s most personal dining experiences, with an open kitchen and a hyperseasonal menu that rewards repeat visits. The Kojin Caesar made with local greens, nori, and smoked trout roe — a riff on the version served at local sports bar chain Flanigan’s — confirms this is a chef with serious technique, a Miami sense of humor, and zero interest in taking himself too seriously. Rotating desserts like the chocolate miso tart and fermented chicken sauce and caramel ice cream confirm that Katherine’s pastry program is operating at the same level.
10.ViceVersa Downtown Miami map
Photo courtesy of ViceVersa
ViceVersa might be the best bar in Miami, but possibly also the best Italian restaurant. It’s the type of place where you can start the night with pre-dinner cocktails — or vice versa, keep the evening going with a digestif and a scoop of house-spun gelato (hence the name). But truthfully, the vibe here is so fun and the food is so stellar, you shouldn’t discount the idea of revolving your whole meal plan around it. Which is to say that along with the top-notch Italianate craft cocktails, there are airy-yet-crisp neo-Neapolitan-style pizza, and refreshing raw crudos and salads. Pro tip: Aperitivo hour (aka happy hour) runs every day but Monday, which is when ViceVersa serves a mouthwatering off-menu burger that packs the house.
Photo courtesy of ViceVersa
11.Seia Miami Brickell map
Seia brings serious altitude — and equally serious backing — to Brickell, pairing a 54th-floor vantage point with the global polish of the Bastion Collection, the group behind Michelin-starred restaurants like L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Le Jardinier. The elevator ride sets the tone, opening into a dining room lined with glass and skyline views that stretch to the water. The menu reads contemporary Italian, but with a lighter hand: crudos and classic antipasti lead, followed by housemade pastas and composed mains that favor simplicity over heft. Expect plates like delicate pastas and risottos with Italian-sourced ingredients and roasted or pan-seared fish that lets citrus and olive oil do the work. It’s a natural fit for a dressed-up dinner when you want both a panoramic perspective and precision.
12.Smoke and Dough Kendall West map
Miami-style barbecue has a home deep out west, past the airport, and it’s worth every mile of the drive. Harry and Michelle Coleman, the self-taught husband-and-wife team behind neighboring Empanada Harry’s, built Smoke and Dough from the premise: what happens when serious pit technique meets Miami’s beloved Latin flavors? The answer arrives in dishes that feel inevitable and new. Smoked pastrami tequeños are pure Miami on a plate. A cafecito-rubbed prime brisket smoked for 15 hours comes served on 25-ingredient mole poblano — with a bark so pronounced it looks like it came off an oak tree. Save room for the smoked flan, cooked low and slow on the pits until the caramel top is glossy and faintly kissed with smoke. Yes, this barbecue spot takes reservations.
13.Fuku Coral Gables map
This Fuku is currently the only standalone location of David Chang’s spicy chicken sando shop — an offshoot of an off-menu secret at Momofuku Noodle Bar that sparked a national obsession — and somehow Miami landed it. The NYC East Village energy and Asian POV are fully intact, and the chef-driven quick-service concept still earns the hype. The OG Sando (crispy chicken, Fuku mayo, and pickles on a butter-toasted potato roll) is the anchor, but the party fries, chicken garlic rice, and all three dipping sauces make a strong case for going bigger than you planned. What sets this location apart is how deliberately it’s been planted in the community. Case in point: the ube key lime pie collaboration with Coconut Grove’s Fookem’s Fabulous — tart, sweet, and heightened by a sea salt Graham cracker crust.
Find more info here.
14.Phuc Yea Little River map
This longstanding MiMo District favorite with a fun-to-pronounce name reflects the delicious result of its owners’ combined backgrounds, drawing from co-owner Ani Meinhold’s Vietnamese heritage and chef-owner Cesar Zapata’s Colombian and Cajun culinary roots. That mix drives both the menu and the mood. Amid a menu of familiar Viet flavors like green papaya salad and crispy imperial rolls, you’ll also find creative specialties shaped by Zapata’s Southern and Latin experience, like Cajun-spiced buttermilk fried chicken and ceviche de chicharron featuring five-spice crispy pork. The sprawling space includes a 15-foot raw bar built for oysters and cocktails, a speakeasy-style dining room, and the Lantern Garden out back. Mid-century lines, street art, Asian accents, and ‘90s hip-hop music tie it all together, giving Phuc Yea a sense of place that matches its point of view.
15.AVA MediterrAegean Coconut Grove Miami map
Brought to you by the same group behind Mila and Claudie, AVA MediterrAegean delivers that familiar sense of occasion in a more transportive register. Designed for long dinners and dressed-up crowds, the expansive Coconut Grove space reads like a polished Greek island retreat, with sculpted arches, textured stone, and a glowing marble bar anchoring the room. The open-air terrace stays lively after dark, while the dining room hums with steady energy. Plates focus on clean Mediterranean flavors — prawns kadaifi, bright crudos, whole fish for the table — finished with moments of drama like a lamb moussaka served tableside.
16.Pauline Miami Beach map
Pauline, inside the newly renovated Shelborne hotel, is a homecoming. Culinary Director Abram Bissell, a Florida Keys native who sharpened his technique at Eleven Madison Park and The Modern in New York, has returned to South Florida, cooking the coastal Latin and Caribbean flavors that shaped him. The Art Deco setting includes porthole windows, curved stone, and oceanic blues that nod to the city’s golden age of travel. Jonah crab claws and conch ceviche are the stars of the raw bar, while the lobster and mussel sancocho — a seafood-forward riff on the classic Latin stew — is rich, comforting, and exactly what this restaurant was made to serve. Save the Fior di Coco for last: a coconut dessert finished tableside in a flambé that earns every second of the show.
17.Sottovoce Miami map
This is Midtown’s answer to the question nobody thought to ask: What if you just put some tables, chairs, and wine in an alley and called it a night? Sottovoce, the open-air Italian aperitivo garden behind Chimba, operates on that kind of beautiful simplicity. A few blocks from its more famous wine bar counterpart, Sottovoce is close enough to Lagniappe to lure in the overflow, but also different enough to offer a quieter alternative when you want one. The wine list is approachably Italian and the menu is mainly charcuterie made for sharing — a selection of cured meats, cheeses, and deliciously fatty lardo, served on toasted focaccia instead of boring crackers. Follow the red light to the outdoor speakeasy, choose a good bottle, and settle in with something salty to nibble.
18.Frankie & Wally’s Coral Gables map
Frankie & Wally’s is where you go when the quality of your sandwich truly matters. On a quiet side street in Coral Gables, this deli-market hybrid keeps things casual without cutting corners, turning out carefully constructed sandwiches that hold up from first bite to last. Mornings start with gooey cheese-laden BECs that sell out quickly, while lunch leans into standout sammies like the Frankie or Il Padrino, stacked with razor-thin sliced meats, sharp cheese, and balanced dressings. Inside, curated shelves of artisan pantry goods line the space, but there’s also a patio wrapped in greenery out back if you want to sit outside with your sandwich. Beyond the deli counter, the real take-home play right now is the frozen lasagna trays, ready to bake and worth keeping on standby.
Find more info here.
19.FreshCo Fish Doral Doral map
Don’t let the setting fool you: FreshCo Fish has been quietly earning national attention for years as one of the best seafood restaurants in the entire country. Now the Keys-rooted, family-owned concept has a Doral home, bringing its fish market-meets-casual-restaurant format to a broader Miami following. The premise is simple: pick your fish at the market counter up front, pick your prep, pick your format. The whole fried hogfish — deboned, flash-fried to a crisp, and genuinely hard to find anywhere in Miami — is reason enough to visit. So are the seafood sammies like Reubens and BLTs. Finish with the Key West conch fritters and the homemade key lime pie, and you’ll understand why people cross town for this one.
20.MIKA Coral Gables map
Photo courtesy of MIKA
In a city awash in Italian restaurants, MIKA makes waves with coastal seafood. Chef Michael White — six Michelin stars earned across a career defined by Italian cooking — brings that same discipline to the polished Plaza Coral Gables, interpreted through the unhurried glamour of the French and Italian Riviera. Earth-toned walls glow under warm light, olive trees anchor the room, and the pace slows in a way that feels genuinely earned. The lobster burrata has become a fast favorite among regulars, while the spaghetti with lemon butter sauce, sweet blue crab, and caviar is so precisely balanced you won’t want to share it. Weekday aperitivo hour and a newly debuted Sunday brunch make MIKA something rarer still — a fine dining kitchen that knows how to relax.
Photo courtesy of MIKA
Craving something else?
Date NightOutdoor DiningSplurge WorthyFor a GroupLate-Night OptionsBrunchGlobal Dining Access… And More
MILA
4.4 · Mediterranean · $$$
Miami Beach
Amara at Paraiso
4.8 · Modern Latin · $
Edgewater
Over Under
5 · American · $
Downtown Miami
Silverlake Bistro
4.8 · New American · $
Miami Beach
Pastis - Wynwood
4.7 · French · $$
Wynwood
PreviousNext
Discover More
How to Get the Toughest Reservations in Miami
The Resy Guide to Road Trips From Miami
New On Resy: Miami’s Newest Restaurant Openings
Over Countless First Dates, My Love for This Coral Gables Classic Has Only Grown
How to Get Into Sunny’s in Miami
The Resy Hit List: Where In Miami You’ll Want to Eat Right Now
At Silverlake Bistro, the Burger Was Always a Part of the Plan
This Red Rooster Is a Living Tribute to Miami’s Black History
The Resy Guide to Outdoor Dining in Miami
The Resy Guide to Summer Weekends in Miami
The Resy Hit List: Where In Miami You’ll Want to Eat in June 2026
Miami’s Michelin Winners For 2026
Where to Eat Near the Stadium in Miami
How to Spend a Perfect 72 Hours Eating Your Way Through Miami
Ayre by Karma Charts a Fresh Course for Modern Indian Cuisine
- 1
- 2
- 3
Resy powers the world’s best restaurants, using technology to imagine the future of hospitality.
© 2026 Resy Network, Inc.
BESbswy